Bonkers Blog July 2013

It seemed a foregone conclusion to me that Bexley Cabs must get
approval for
an office in Birkbeck Road but I had to sit through three hours of Planning
Committee meeting to be sure. The application was reasonable, the premises were
adequate and hidden in a backstreet along with not too dissimilar businesses.
How could it be a problem?

The proprietor had promised that no one would be waiting for cars there and except in
the rarest of circumstances no driver would need to visit. What reason was there
for anyone to object?

The most obvious reason was that when the company was in Bexley Village
it paid scant regard to planning conditions and councillor June Slaughter
among others thought it would happen again and of course it had. The business
has been operating from Birkbeck Road without permission for three months already.

Despite the discouraging history, permission was given to operate a minicab control
centre from Birkbeck Road, Sidcup subject to stringent conditions and a review in
twelve months time. If the photographic evidence obtained by the local
residents in recent weeks is any guide as to the future, the council’s
Enforcement Officer won’t be short of work.